Progressive Presidents: Presidents Theodore Roosevelt And President Woodrow Wilson

Throughout the years, American has given birth to some of the most prominent, sagacious and influential leaders in history; leaders such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln amongst many others. This was embodied all through the early 20th and late 19th, with the presence of the progressive presidents in the oval office. President Theodore Roosevelt, President William Howard Taft and President Woodrow Wilson had diverse levels of effectiveness on reforming our nation, however they had one factor in common; they were great leaders who promoted the growth and prosperity of our country.
Theodore Roosevelt was in many ways a typical progressive politician. Raised in comfortable surroundings and educated with Christian moral values, he decided early on to pursue a professional political career. He became governor of New York in 1898, where he demonstrated progressive tendencies. Selected to run as vice president in 1900, he became president upon McKinley's assassination. Roosevelt broke a long tradition by gradually becoming an activist
president. Immediately upon taking office, he began a conservation campaign to protect public land from inappropriate development. Roosevelt's experience in settling the coal strike of 1902 led him to be critical of the leaders of big business.
William Howard Taft followed Roosevelt into the presidency, pledging to continue on the path of progressive reform.
Taft, however, was a deeply conservative politician and not by nature a progressive. His gradual shift toward the conservative wing of the party led progressive Republicans to organize against his leadership. Roosevelt watched the proceedings with mixed feelings. Taft was his chosen successor but had failed to live up to the mandate handed to him. Roosevelt began to reformulate his political philosophy. The New Nationalism that emerged from this process called for a federal government that had the right to regulate big business in order to ensure it acted in the public interest. As a part of his new philosophy, Theodore Roosevelt proposed several social welfare programs. When the Republicans failed to give him their presidential nomination in 1912, Roosevelt bolted the party and ran as leader of the new Progressive
Party.
Woodrow Wilson had risen from the presidency of Princeton University to the governorship of New Jersey. In that office, he established a progressive record and launched himself as a Democratic candidate for the presidency. Although he shared Roosevelt's scorn for the abuse of corporate power, he opposed direct federal interference in business activity. Wilson also attacked Roosevelt's social welfare program as a paternalistic assault on freedom. Wilson did not receive a mandate for his new philosophy but rather came out ahead in the election of 1912 because of the split in the Republican ranks between Taft and Roosevelt. With a Democratic majority in both houses of Congress, Wilson was able to set in motion legislation that could curb some of the worst problems in the business sector. First, tariff rates were reduced with the goal of lowering prices for consumers. The landmark Federal Reserve Act of 1913 established a national banking system that helped to stabilize the financial markets. In the matter of the business trusts, Wilson championed the Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914, which prohibited practices that lessened competition or created monopolies. Wilson's administration also established the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to oversee the enforcement of antitrust legislation. Wilson's policy in dealing with the abuses of big business followed a middle ground between the radicalism of Roosevelt and Taft's conservatism. Although he was reluctant to do so, Wilson ended up supporting pro-labor legislation. As a typical progressive, Wilson found fault with aspects of the economic system but never questioned the validity of the system. Undoubtedly, Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson were great men and leaders of our nation; and although they had several differences they shared one focal point, the growth of our country. They exemplified the foremost quality our nation is acknowledged for- having sagacious and eminent leaders.